shoulder ligament snapped after off

solsurf

After coming off my bike on the ice this morning and a few xrays later, I was wondering if anyone has snapped, or torn their shoulder ligament connected to their collar bone could give me advice on the best way to fix it?

As an aside I'm now in the market for a cyclo x with studded tyres

joshyates

Have torn it before, all i was told by way of fixing it was to rest it, don't use, and hope it heals.
Sucky advice i thought then too, but only advice can offer :roll:

Initialised

Ouch, shoulder injuries are nasty, I chipped mine last January and despite physio for over a year it still isn't right, impingement injury on the muscle.

As an aside, I did it on studded tyres taking a greasy corner too fast, diesel not ice that got me.

solsurf

Just paid for some physiotherapy, best money I've ever spent. He thinks that I'll make a full recovery given the right treatment and that the ligament will mend with time and the right sort of exercises. Thanks for the replies, as an aside I've bought a Day one alfine 8 with studded tyres

fossyant

Good luck.

I only strained my AC ligament in a car v me accident, but it did need a shoulder decompression operation two years later. Took a good 12 or more months post operation where it was almost as good as new.

Daz555

solsurf wrote:

After coming off my bike on the ice this morning and a few xrays later, I was wondering if anyone has snapped, or torn their shoulder ligament connected to their collar bone could give me advice on the best way to fix it?

Hasn't the doctor who diagnosed the condition offered you treatment? :?

fossyant

This is the NHS. Physio referrals take a long time. I had to spend over £2k in physio to start to get mine sorted. Got nothing on the NHS !

solsurf

After waiting for an hour and half (for a booked appointment) the doctor at the fracture clinic (week after accident) asked me how high I could raise my arm and what job I had 5 min later I'm being ushered out the door and asked to book another appointment for four weeks time, nothing else, utterly useless!

So I've been paying to see a sports Physio and they've been fantastic, he doesn't think its snapped at all, just stretched and after 3 sessions I now have mobility and I'm able to sleep. I can't see how; but he thinks with the exercises I've been given I'll be cycling again in two weeks

redjeepǃ

What makes you think you've snapped it?

I snapped a ligament in my left thumb and I couldn't move it in one axis. It had come away from the bone and needed surgery to reattach it. Took over 3 months before I could grip anything.

I also damaged my right collarbone in the same incident, but managed to stop my bike getting scratched by inserting soft body tissue between it and the tarmac.

Blacktemplar

What you're referring to (I think) is an AC Joint Separation. You have three ligaments that tether the end of your collarbone to your Acromion (the arch at the top of your shoulder) - hence AC (Acromio-Clavicular) Joint.

When you fall on an outstretched hand/elbow or have a direct shoulder impact, you can tear these ligaments if your collarbone itself doesn't fracture. The severity of the damage is graded I-V, with I/II being minor - uncomfortable, tender, might be a bit of a bump at the front/top of the shoulder joint at the end of the collarbone. It's usually dealt with using conservative treatments such as anti-inflammatories & rest. III is usually classed as a partial tear, with some damage to the ligaments, but they are still (mostly) attached. Again, the quack will possibly recommend conservative treatment, perhaps including a sling for a while. Grade IV and V are complete tears of the ligaments, some or all. These almost always require surgery to repair/replace the ligaments. A grade IV/V tear is extremenly painful, and you're unlikely to be able to move the shoulder. You will probably have a large painful lump on the top of the joint, and a possible 'drop' to the shoulder as well. It will feel like it's broken.

How do I know this? Two years ago I came off my bike at a relatively low speed, but fell awkwardly and suffered a Grade V tear, punching the end of my collarbone through my deltoid muscle in the process. The surgeon advised that without surgery I would regain 40-60% strength and range of motion - 80-100% after surgery. Three carbon-kevlar replacement ligaments later and an interesting scar - followed by three months of intensive physio - I've regained pretty much full mobility and strength. The joint aches a bit when it's cold/damp (ie all the time in Scotland), but otherwise fine.

Hope that helps.....